


Swiping Right (Into Love)

by xo_stardust720



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Skinny Steve
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:15:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24050425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xo_stardust720/pseuds/xo_stardust720
Summary: “Hey, come on now… this guy is cute!” Wanda leans over and grabs Natasha’s phone out of her hand, pausing on the profile of a brunette that appeared. “Swipe right on this one! Say yes, say yes! C’mon Nat. The weather is supposed to be really nice this weekend… perfect for a date!”[aka, the one where Natasha meets Steve through Tinder.]
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Wanda Maximoff, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov, past Natasha Romanov/Matt Murdock
Comments: 38
Kudos: 145





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sleepygrimm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepygrimm/gifts), [aquajules](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquajules/gifts).



> I actually downloaded Tinder to see what it was like. 
> 
> Deleted the app 40 minutes later :)
> 
> Also, a huge THANKS to @chalantness for editing this chapter! ❤️

It was a dare, really. Maria made her do it. 

Well… that was a bit of a stretch, because it was hard to make Natasha do anything she didn’t really want to do but it was her excuse for most of the mistakes ( _experiences_ , Maria would often correct her) she makes. It’s not like Natasha has trouble meeting people on her own. She’s attractive and she knows it. Men come up to her all the time, eyeing her body up and down like she was a piece of meat and going ‘ _hey baby, wanna Netflix and chill?’_ and honestly, can anybody blame her for not wanting to meet people after hearing that more than once or twice? It only reinforces the perception in her head that men _suck_. She’s more than just a pretty face and just once, she’d like for someone to take her a little more seriously. 

Tinder, of course, is Maria’s idea. In all actuality, it’s Maria’s doing.

Natasha doesn’t know what possessed her to download the Tinder app, but on a sunny Tuesday afternoon while enjoying a catch-up coffee date with Maria outside a cafe, she watches as the tiny little pink icon loads onto her phone. And then it’s Maria literally grabbing her phone out of her hands and tapping away, making her a profile and choosing which pictures of her to post. Natasha lets her, because it's just easier to let Maria do what she wants when she’s excited like this. And with Maria’s enthusiasm catching on, Natasha finds it hard to really protest this new way of dating even if she doesn’t necessarily agree with it. 

Besides, it’s not like she actually has to use it. 

* * *

Herein lies the problem though: 

Once the app is on her phone, she can’t stop thinking about it. It’s _right there_ staring at her in the face and her eyes stray to it every time she unlocks her phone. 

She’s not sure what compels her to open the app. Call it curiosity. It might just be that she’s bored. It might be that she’s lonely. It might be both. Or maybe it’s something simpler and more complicated than that. Maybe it’s hope. Or maybe, just once, she might meet someone that lives up to the version of them that she’s made up in her head before they open their mouth and ruin it by saying hi. 

If Natasha could roll her eyes at herself, she would. She’s probably overthinking this and it isn’t that complicated. 

The app is fairly straightforward, and usually she would like that. She likes her partners being upfront, it's easy and there’s no pretense to it. And as a hook-up app, this serves an easy purpose. Swipe right, match with someone, figure out details for when and where. There's a few people she considers doing just that with as she lingers on some of the smiling photos. It’s infinitely easier to have a ‘one and done’ and then move on. But if she’s being honest with herself, she’s a bit tired of that. She’s tired of meeting people who don’t require any effort because it means they don’t put any effort in for her either. 

It’s almost automatic, the way she goes about Tinder. See a picture, swipe left, see the next picture, left again. It’s a quick judgment call and she finds that there’s always at least one thing about the men that turns her off. She’s not even sure why she’s still on the app when all she does is say no to every guy that pops up, but honestly? It’s kind of fun and it's not as if she takes it all that seriously anyway. 

Maria scowls at her when she finds out what she’s doing. 

“You do realize that swiping left to _everyone_ defeats the purpose of being on the app right?” 

“I swiped right and matched with someone one time,” Natasha counters. “And the first thing the dude says to me is ‘ _wanna come sit on my face?_ ’ ...didn’t even bother to say hello first. Why are the more attractive guys on this app always the most sleazy?” 

“Probably because they figure they can get away with it,” Maria raises an eyebrow. “So, what did you do?” she asks, clearly trying not to laugh. 

She lets out a sigh. “I didn’t even bother responding. I just went and unmatched us.” 

Her friend shrugs. “Not all of them are gonna be princes.”

“I’d settle for just _one_.” 

“Unfortunately, you’re gonna actually have to go on a few dates to figure that out, Nat. You can’t just expect a guy to fall into your lap and have him miraculously be your soulmate. If it were that easy, we wouldn’t need dating apps in the first place.” 

Natasha sighs. “Sometimes I can’t believe it’s come to this.” 

Maria’s face softens and she regards Natasha sympathetically. “Hey… not everyone you meet is going to turn out to be like Matt.” 

_Matt Murdock._

It’s strange how simultaneously her heart beat faster and her being filled with dread at the mere mention of his name. The ex she tried as hard as she could to forget and yet, the break up still impacts most of her decisions when it comes to her love life. Time had healed most of her wounds but to this very day, there are still some lingering moments of resentment and as a result, some very tough armor shielding her heart. 

Before Natasha can even respond, the brunette continues on. “I know it can be tough to put yourself out there, Nat. Dating these days can really suck, but if you swipe left on every single guy, the answer will always be ‘ _no_ ’ and you’ll always be stuck in the same boat you’ve always been in these last few years. Tinder can be absolutely ridiculous -- no one is denying that. But at least it opens up a few ways for you to meet new people. Do _not_ let Matt Murdock be the last relationship you’ll ever be in.” 

Natasha grins, taking her words to heart. “Alright, I promise I’ll try to take this dating app a little more seriously.” 

“Promise?”

“I promise.” 

“At the very least, you’ll probably get a few good stories out of it,” Maria points out. “Tinder is always good for some laughs.” 

The thing about attempting to date on Tinder, though, was that it wasn’t much more different than attempting to date in general. As much as she promised Maria that she would try to put more effort into dating, the men she matched with were much more crass online than they were face-to-face, and weren’t shy about letting her know what they wanted. It was one of the disadvantages of hiding behind a screen… it was hard to tell who was actually genuine and Natasha was finding that, in her case, all the men she swiped right on were after only one thing. 

  * _My face makes a great seat, you interested?_



  * _I hope you’re into Harry Potter because I want to Slytherin you_



  * _What position do you prefer?_



  * _You want to fuck I’m on a bit of a dry spell_



  * _You remind me of the sun_
  * _Because ur pretty hot_



She has to admit, the last message from ‘Alexei, 42’ has her laughing for several minutes even as she goes to unmatch him. He hadn’t actually expressed wanting to engage in any sexual activity, but she could tell it was heading there. The pick-up lines that people came up with, though… some of them were actually pretty creative. 

* * *

There’s something about the app that makes it feel like she’s playing a game most of the time. Anonymously choosing to like or dislike someone and then feeling like she’s scored points if the person likes her back - it’s easy to feel disassociated with reality. So far the biggest consequence she’s faced on the app is pressing a button to unmatch if she’s not feeling it. Which she does about ninety-nine percent of the time -- she has yet to even plan a date with someone to meet them face-to-face. 

As it turns out, Tinder is even more fun when done with friends who are in exactly the same position as you are. 

She’s sitting next to Wanda on a couch in the corner of a cozy little bookstore, huddling together and swiping through profiles, deciding who’s hot and who isn’t. It’s the kind of boujee shop that serves wine to book clubs instead of coffee, though it’s an option if one wants coffee. She and Wanda are off in their own little world, being slightly loud and completely ignoring everyone around them as they constantly dissolve into giggles. Once or twice Natasha thinks they receive a couple of annoyed looks from patrons shopping around them but she can’t bring herself to care. 

“You think you have it bad?” Wanda rolls her eyes even as she laughs over her glass of wine. “At least all you get is lame one-liners. This one time, I went for a lunch date and the guy spent the entire time actively swiping on Tinder matches during the meal. While I was sitting there. Right in front of him. He didn’t even bother to look up half the time!”

“That’s because I never let it get past the text messaging part,” she shrugs. She brings up her phone and starts swiping left on picture after picture. “I promised Maria that I would try and go on some dates but no one has really caught my eye yet. And the ones that I do say yes to, they always end up saying something that makes me want to punch them.”

“Hey, come on now… this guy is cute!” Wanda leans over and grabs Natasha’s phone out of her hand, pausing on the profile of a brunette that appeared. “Swipe right on this one! Say yes, say yes! C’mon Nat. The weather is supposed to be really nice this weekend… perfect for a date!” 

“No! Pull up your own account, Wanda. I’m sure he’ll show up on your Tinder eventually.” She snatches her phone back, but pauses to linger on the profile that is currently showing up on her screen. She doesn’t admit it out loud to the brunette sitting right next to her, but the man that had just shown up is indeed _very_ handsome. If she hadn’t been trying so hard to prove a point to Wanda, she probably would’ve swiped right. “All the guys are the same on this app! They’re all probably sleazy and just looking for a hookup.” 

“But how do you know?” Wanda presses on. “It’s just pictures on a profile! It hardly tells you anything about the person. Take this guy for example… his profile just says ‘Looking at my phone searching for a reason to stop looking at my phone. Loves tacos and dogs’... how on earth are you supposed to know if they're looking for a relationship or a quick bang if you don’t talk to them?” 

“Haven’t you ever noticed a pattern with these profile pictures though?” Natasha holds up her phone so that the screen is facing Wanda. “First of all, this is what I call the thirsty photo. It’s the first photo you see of the person… the one that looks really good, so it draws you in and it convinces you to keep swiping through the series of pics they’ve carefully selected to entice you into swiping right.” 

“I think in this case, it works for him,” Wanda grins as she swipes through the profile pictures to get a better look. “Why isn’t _this guy_ popping up on _my_ tinder? Look at how blue his eyes are… Look at his gym selfie! _Damn_. I would definitely swipe right for this one.” 

“I mean, it’s fun sometimes,” Natasha shrugs. “I can’t even explain why I’m still on this app when I think it’s so stupid. I mean, I say that to myself several times every time I'm on here... it's _so stupid!_ All the ridiculously attractive men are never looking for a serious thing. Why bother?”

“Maybe that’s why you’re having issues with the reality of this app. Maybe you should start swiping on the men that probably don’t get as much attention,” Wanda suggests. She waves around Natasha’s phone again. “Except you should swipe right on this one. Even if you aren’t interested, you can meet up with him and introduce me! I’ll take him off your hands. And look, he even has a friend! Maybe if his friend is single, we can double date.” 

“I’m probably gonna delete this app,” she responds half-heartedly. Even as she says it, Natasha isn’t even sure if she means it. Swiping through the app has become something of a time-waster when she’s bored and brings her tons of amusement as she goes through picture after picture. “I mean, what kind of a name is James Buchanan anyway? Do people actually call him that? Why wouldn’t he just go by _James_? Is Buchanan his last name? 'Cause if it is, that's brave. Or crazy. What kind of lunatic would just display his private information like that for the public to see? Anyone could find him!” 

“Maybe his parents named him that because they hope that one day he’s gonna be the future president,” Wanda giggles. “It’s a very strong sounding name, isn’t it? C’mon Nat, swipe right! Do it for me! Please? He’s such a dreamboat.” 

“I don’t think so,” Natasha mutters as she grabs her phone back from Wanda and swipes left, watching as the picture disappears from view and another profile pops up. “There, end of discussion.” Wanda sighs, pouting at Natasha before dissolving into laughter to show that there were no hard feelings between them at the prospect of a romance now long gone.

“Ouch! So that’s a hard no for that guy, huh?” 

The voice that cuts into their conversation is all kinds of smooth, tinged with amusement. When Natasha turns to see who is speaking to them, her eyes widen in shock and immediately feels embarrassed. Like, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole, kind of embarrassed. Because of all the people in the world that could’ve been listening in on their conversation… of course it _had_ to be him. Next to her, Wanda instinctively sits up straighter and runs a hand through her hair in an attempt to make herself look more presentable. “Nat,” she whispers, though Natasha was pretty sure _James Buchanan_ could hear every word she was saying. “Look, Mr. Dreamboat is sitting right in front of us!”

“Actually, everyone calls me Bucky,” James Buchanan - _Bucky_ \- winks at them. “But I’m flattered you think I’m a dreamboat.” He shifts slightly in his seat, the book he’d been reading is lying on the table in front of him, long forgotten. He gives Wanda an appraising look, clearly liking what he sees. “You know doll, if you showed up on my tinder, I’d definitely swipe right for you.” 

Wanda actually _blushes,_ grinning wide as she leans forward. Natasha has never really seen her friend act like this in person -- all coquettish and coy at the same time. The interest was definitely there on Wanda’s side. “Would you?” she flirts. “As a hook up, or would you take me on an actual date?” 

“Absolutely, it would be a date -- though I wouldn’t say no to the former, if that’s what you wanted.” 

“Hmm,” Wanda pretends to think it over, though it is clear to everyone that she has every intention of taking Bucky up on his offer. She smiles and holds out her hand. “I’m Wanda.” 

“It’s nice to meet you, Wanda,” Bucky shakes her hand before shifting his gaze onto the redhead in front of him. 

“Uh... “ Natasha pauses, feeling her cheeks redden. “Sorry about before... “ 

“Sorry for making fun of my name?” Bucky laughs. “Or for thinking I’m sleazy? Something tells me that you’re not actually sorry for swiping no on my profile.” 

“This is Natasha,” Wanda adds. “Don’t feel bad that she swiped left. She swipes left on everyone.” 

“To be fair, I haven’t ruled out if you’re sleazy or not,” Natasha answers with a grin as she feels her embarrassment slowly slip away. A part of her still wants to run away and would be perfectly fine if she never sees Bucky again… but while she’s slightly abashed at how this situation has come about, she can’t deny that it is actually a little funny. 

Bucky runs a hand through his hair, to which Natasha notices that it doesn’t exactly match his Tinder profile pic. It’s longer, as if the photo had been taken some time ago. He is just as handsome in person as he is in his photo and she’s glad that so far, he seemed to be completely genuine for Wanda’s sake. “So,” he pauses, eyeing Natasha with interest. “About that double date… I do have a friend that’s available, if you’re up for it.” 

“You really heard everything we said about you, huh?” Wanda shook her head in amusement as she played with her hair. Natasha has to wonder how on earth she is able to look so casual and unembarrassed at being caught gossiping about him. 

“Truthfully, I noticed you both as soon as I walked in,” he admits. “It’s not every day you see two attractive women laughing together in a bookstore. Tried to mind my own business but the moment I heard my name being said out loud though, all bets were off. So, how about it? I promise you, Steve is a great guy.”

“Is Steve the guy that’s in the picture on your profile?” Wanda asks. “Does he have Tinder too?” 

“He does have Tinder, yes,” Bucky pulls out his phone and proceeds to show the both of them pictures of his friend. At first glance, Natasha felt shame in admitting to herself that if she’d seen this guy come across her Tinder, she probably would’ve also swiped no without a second thought. 

“Aww Nat, he’s adorable! We should definitely double date! Wouldn’t it be fun?” 

While Wanda was clearly enthusiastic at the prospect of having plans for the weekend, Natasha’s first instinct was to say no. Her hesitation must’ve shown on her face because Bucky’s carefree attitude suddenly disappeared and a more serious expression replaced it. “Listen,” the tone of his voice is one not to be messed with and Natasha instinctively sits straighter, her attention now solely focused on Bucky. “If you’re not interested, that’s completely fine - no harm, no foul. But if you’re gonna agree to this double date, please actually show up with the intention of wanting to be there and to have a good time. Don’t show up just for the sake of having something to do and then proceed to ignore him all night -- I won’t let you do that to Steve.” 

The way Bucky was staring at her spoke volumes. Natasha could see the protective streak that he had for his friend, one that told her that there had probably been some unpleasantness regarding the whole dating scene in the past where this Steve was concerned and he didn’t want it to happen again if he could help it. “It’s just… I know Steve’s looks aren’t exactly _conventional_ and you can probably get any guy you want, but he’s worth more than ten times the other men you’ll meet collectively, I guarantee it.” 

And wasn’t that something she could relate too? 

Natasha nods, holding Bucky’s gaze. “I know what it’s like to be judged based only on your looks and not be taken seriously because of it. If he’s as nice of a guy as you say, then I’m sure we’ll have a great time, won’t we?” 

It was probably a bad idea agreeing to go on this double date. Or was it a blind date? Whatever it was, Bucky’s impassioned speech got to her and led her to making this split-second decision. 

And Natasha found that she didn’t regret it at all. 

* * *

Later that night, as Natasha is browsing through the Tinder app, she comes across a profile that she instantly recognizes without ever having interacted with him. She takes a moment to study the photo, a genuine smile stretching across her lips as she thinks about Bucky’s words from earlier in the day. And even though there are already concrete plans for a date for the upcoming weekend, Natasha finds she simply can’t help herself. 

After all, what’s the harm in doing so?

Her thumb slides across the screen and she swipes right.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to @natrogersfics and @chalantness for editing this chapter! 
> 
> Dedicated to @aquajules because I promised her a new birthday fic (which I started...) but then ended up working on this update and finishing it instead... and then this update ended up being late anyway... What can I say? I'm a human disaster. Happy belated birthday Emilee!

Steve has never been one to really go with the flow. 

That isn’t to say that he’s super uptight about everything in general, but when his roommate/best friend comes home with some _exciting news_ , the tone of Bucky’s voice is enough to cause Steve some anxiety and to be immediately on his guard. There’s a certain amount of glee and exhilaration in the way his friend burst through their front door… and this is Steve’s warning sign that he’s about to be dragged into some sort of mishap that most likely won’t end well for him. It’s not that he doesn’t trust his oldest friend in the world -- there’s no one that he _trusts_ more than Bucky -- it’s just that, most of the time, trusting Bucky is what gets him into awkward situations in the first place. 

( _Awkward_ was putting it mildly. It was usually a disaster.)

It’s been this way since they were kids. Where Bucky leads, he’s usually along for the ride. On the occasions that his mouth goes running off and gets him into trouble, good-ole Bucky is the one there to bail him out. Literally. He actually ended up in jail once, a fact that his best friend still delightedly brings up as a conversation topic to this day.

Honestly, if it wasn’t for his best friend, he’s pretty sure his life would be quiet. And boring. 

It would probably be _really boring_. 

So when Bucky comes home and throws himself onto the couch next to him announcing, “guess what our plans are for the weekend?” -- his first instincts are to say no. 

He goes with his gut. 

“ _No_ ,” he says, not even bothering to look up from the sketch in front of him. 

“You don’t even know what we’re going to do yet,” Bucky immediately protests. 

“Doesn't matter.” 

“Steve, c’mon! At least wait until I tell you what happened to me today before you decide you’re not going. And by the way, you can’t say no. You are an essential component to this plan, and I won’t let you ruin it for me, you punk.” 

"Jerk," he automatically replies, but then he's letting out a sigh as he turns to face his friend. "What happened?"

“So I met these two ladies at the bookstore today…” 

He groans, already knowing where this conversation is heading. “Buck, tell me you didn’t set up _another_ double date.” 

His best friend smirks. “You know that I did. Why do you even bother asking?” 

“Because sometimes I still have hope that you’ll realize the women you try to set me up with tend to end up disappointed, and that you won’t do it anymore," he says, rolling his eyes.

“Hey, without me, you’d never go anywhere,” Bucky points out. “And I’ll admit, our dates could’ve been better vetted in the past. Sorry about that. They don’t know what they’re missing out on.” 

“Did you at least tell her about me? So that I won’t be a shock to the system when she actually sees me for the first time?” 

“I said all good things, I swear!” 

“Bucky,” he sighs. 

“No, seriously. You didn’t see these women, Steve. They were bombshells. We hit the jackpot!” 

Steve lets out another sigh. Bucky is always coming in all enthusiastic about whatever their next adventure is - this is how it's always been. Whatever Bucky's up to, he makes sure that he's never too far behind. Steve and Bucky 'til the end of the line, always, is what his best friend likes to repeat. And he believes him. Even if he never has anything else, he'll always have Bucky in his corner.

He turns back to his sketch, picking up the pencil that he’d abandoned and as he gets back to work, it prompts Bucky to begin telling the story of how his trip to the bookstore had ended up with a plan for the two of them to go on a double date with some strangers. In truth, it didn’t surprise Steve in the least that his friend somehow managed to infiltrate his way into a conversation after admitting to eavesdropping on everything they were saying. Bucky just had that kind of charm. “So, let me get this straight,” he says once his friend is done telling him what’d happened. “You’re setting me up with the girl that literally rejected _you_ on Tinder. She actually swiped _left_ on _you_ \-- which by the way, already sounds like a load of bullshit because _no one_ ever swipes left on you. And after you showed her my picture, she agreed to be _my date_ while her friend goes out with you.” He eyes his best friend doubtfully. “There are giant holes in this story, Buck.” 

“But that’s what happened!” Bucky insists. “I had Natasha’s profile up on my Tinder and I’d swiped right and everything. We didn’t match. She really did say no to me!” 

It's not as if Steve thinks his best friend is lying to him, per se. But the story sounds almost too good to be true. For most of their lives, Bucky has had very few problems when it comes to attracting members of the opposite sex. Hell, the same could be said for Bucky attracting members of their gender. People look twice whenever he walks past, and once Bucky had joined Tinder? Well, it's become even easier for him to fill a calendar with people to see and get to know. 

But the same could not be said for him. 

The day he joined Tinder, he did so with all the reluctance in the world and mostly at Bucky’s urging. His friend was having all the success (unsurprising) and wanted him to partake; which he mostly did so that Bucky would leave him alone and give him some peace. Even before he downloaded the app, he knew he wouldn’t have much luck on it, but as Bucky put it, “you never know, right? Some people actually find their future spouses there!” 

Well, Steve did know. And as it turned out, he was right. 

It started off well-enough at first. There were a few matches and, for a little while, Steve thought he was actually doing okay. Little by little, his hopes were raised and he thought _hey, maybe this new way of dating isn’t so bad_. After all, no one wanted to be alone forever, right? It would be nice to have _some_ kind of companionship and to find the right partner. His profile was getting a few likes and the conversations were comfortable enough that he even went on a few first dates. 

But after a couple of weeks, things started coming to a standstill. 

The most annoying thing about Tinder though, was the ghosting - when the matches disappeared without any explanation. It's not something that Steve had purposely learned, but he didn't have to be a genius to figure out what was happening. The likes to his profile started dropping off, the conversations became the generic ‘How are you? _I’m fine and how are you doing?_ I’m good’ before stagnating. If he suggested they go get coffee, they'd stop replying. It was starting to become a pattern that he spotted immediately after the first couple of weeks. Having three separate first dates with three different women, he had a feeling that each woman was only in it for the free meal because they always suggested nice restaurants, but after the dates were over, there was never any follow up for a second date. As a gentleman, he believed that buying a girl dinner first before any romance started was the right thing to do. But realistically, it was starting to put a giant dent in his bank account, and if he started buying every woman dinner on the first date, he’d probably have no savings left.

This, on the other hand, did not seem to be a problem for Bucky, and Steve had resigned himself to accepting that sometimes other people just had all the luck. And looks. Bucky could get away with just about anything when he flashes his smile that seems to melt even butter. Steve lost track of how many coffee dates Bucky has had in the last couple months and it would seem he never had to worry about his bank account balances. 

If Tinder has taught Steve anything, it is that most of the people who signed up for it really relied heavily on physical attributes. If you were attractive, you’d have a much better chance of getting a second and third date. And since everyone knows that Tinder is a hookup app, Steve knows he doesn't stand much of a chance there, either. He isn't the exception to the rule and he knows it. He will be forever known as Skinny Steve, the option no one wanted… not when there are other guys around that are taller, better looking, and more muscular. Women always seem to fixate on those particular characteristics and it isn’t like Steve could climb into a chamber and magically come out big and strong. He has what he has, and for the most part, he is alright with it. It doesn’t stop him from wishing from time to time that things could be different and that the world isn’t as shallow and vapid as the app makes it out to be, but alas, he tries not to dwell on it too much. 

Bucky has even tried to help him out. He was the camera man behind all of his profile pictures and even helped edit his biography when he felt that what he had written down didn’t have enough “spice” to grab a woman’s attention. Quite frankly, it was exhausting trying to come up with some interesting facts about himself on the off chance that someone _might_ look past his pictures long enough to read. And even after all the effort Bucky put into changing his profile around, in the end he had decided to change his bio to simply say, “Hi, I’m Steve.” The people he matches with would either want to get to know him, or they’ll move on… it’s out of his hands. 

He doesn’t even go on the app much anymore. Why bother when he knows people aren’t really going to swipe right on him? He was rejected enough on a regular basis. 

Feeling Bucky’s expectant gaze, Steve tries his best to ignore it and to continue working away at his sketch. His best friend, never one to be ignored though, just pokes him in the shoulder. He was going to be annoying about this, he just knew it. Brushing back a stray hair that fell into his face, he faces his friend and gives him a small smile. “When is this aforementioned date?” 

His best friend grins triumphantly. “After you’re done work on Friday, of course.” 

“And where are we going?” 

“Leave it all to me,” Bucky pats him on the back, gripping his shoulder with support in the way he always does. “I’ll tell the girls to meet us at your shop and we’ll go from there.”

Steve loves Bucky, he does, but Bucky has zero perspective about these things. Steve doesn’t see how this time would be different from any other time but he tries not to let the apprehension show on his face. He makes one last ditch effort to get out of going. “I don’t know, Buck. Look, maybe you should just tell ‘em I got sick or that something came up. Take Sam with you, I’m sure this girl would probably be happier to see Sam in my place.”

“She saw your picture and she said _yes_ to you! She’s amazing, Steve. Red hair. Green eyes. Literally looks like she could be a model. She might actually be one for all I know… I didn’t really get a chance to find out what she does for a living.” 

“Well, at least she’s seen a picture of what I look like and knows what she’s in for. I was getting tired of people looking at me like you sold them some gold and what they actually got was bronze,” Steve sighs as the last of his resistance fades away and resigns himself to going along with Bucky’s plan. “Alright, I’ll go, but only because she was nice enough to say yes and it would be rude if I don’t show up.”

“It’s gonna be a great night, Steve! You’ll see!” 

* * *

Over the next few days, Steve watches as Bucky becomes increasingly more excited about their “hang out” as it was described. Usually his friend would be the picture perfect of calm when it came to first dates, casually shrugging it off as if it was no big deal. The fact that Bucky was flitting around and trying to find the perfect activity for them to do, told Steve that perhaps, _this date_ was different. At least, it seems to be different for Bucky. 

Friday night, at 5:50pm on the dot, Steve waits with Bucky outside of his shop for the two girls that would be their dates for the evening. “Hey, there they are. The brunette is Wanda and the redhead is Natasha.” 

Steve’s gaze immediately lands on the redhead as the two women walk towards them and he feels his heart lurch. This woman is _gorgeous_. Her red hair falls in long smooth waves past her shoulders, she wears only a little makeup--dark mascara and a little pink on the lips--but she doesn't need more. Natasha is slightly shorter than her friend, and she’s all curves--Steve apologizes internally for even lingering on that but he wants to draw her because she has the proportions of a work of art. She looks like a movie star, or a model that Bucky had previously claimed she might be. 

It makes Steve want to disappear. Perhaps it’s the cowardly way out, but he almost doesn’t want to meet Natasha because he wants to remember her in the moment before they meet, before the dismay sets in and she looks for an excuse to leave once she sets eyes on him. The girls are getting closer and then it’s too late, they’re there in front him and he can’t run away now. He takes a deep breath and steels himself for the disappointed expression girls always seem to have when they see him for the first time. 

That expression never comes. Instead, Steve looks up into a friendly smile as the redhead extends her hand out to him. “Hi, I’m Natasha.” There’s no trace of the apprehension or disillusionment that usually accompanies the blind dates that Bucky sets him on. Natasha looks at him with attentiveness, like she’s already found him interesting and couldn’t wait to find out more. 

“Steve Rogers. It’s nice to meet you.” He can’t believe his voice works and that he remembers to take her hand. Her grip is strong and firm as she shakes his hand. Her skin feels soft and her nails are painted a bold shade of emerald green, he notices. She’s so well put together that it seems effortless, like she just woke up that morning and threw on the first thing she found in her closet without even looking. “Thanks for coming.” 

“Well, I couldn’t pass up a chance to meet a guy that’s worth more than ten times other men I’ll meet collectively or so Bucky says,” Natasha winks at him. Her tone is flirtatious and he doesn’t know how to react. This is brand new territory for Steve Rogers. 

“He said that about me?” Steve asks. He glances over at Bucky only to see that he’s completely wrapped up in Wanda, and he realizes that he’s still holding onto Natasha’s hand and he lets go, hoping that he doesn't come off too gawky and blundering. 

Natasha grins as she lets her hand slip from his, and there’s something about her, the sparkle in her eyes and the colour in her cheeks, that has captured his attention so completely. “He said a lot of nice things,” she reassures him. “Quite a friend you’ve got there, Steve.” 

Before Steve could respond, Bucky approaches them. His arm is already around Wanda’s shoulders, looking as comfortable as can be and Steve wishes he could be the kind of guy that could pull off a move like that without looking horribly awkward. Natasha isn’t that much shorter than him and it probably could work if Steve tried, but he doubts it would be as smooth. He takes a moment to study Wanda, and he understands exactly why his best friend is so besotted by her already. Wanda is all smiles, and bubbly, as she extends her own hand to greet him and he finds that he’s immediately charmed by her. 

“So, where are we going?” Wanda asks. 

“Coney Island,” Bucky replies. “Games, awesome rides, great food - what more could you want on a first date?” 

“Oooh! That sounds fun!” Wanda grins. 

Steve groans internally and probably didn’t hide his expression well enough because Natasha catches it. “Not a fan of amusement parks?” she asks, looking curious. 

“It’s not that,” he replies. “Just remembering what happened the last time I rode the Cyclone.” 

“He threw up,” Bucky adds, smiling with glee. 

They made small talk as they rode the train to their destination. People look at Steve differently, he notices right away. It’s not just that he’s with someone like Natasha, it’s that she actually seems like she wants to be there, conversing with him in a way that shows a lot of interest and energy and she’s paying no attention to anyone around them. It’s already one of the strangest dates he’s ever been on -- strange in a _good_ way -- though what makes it weirder is the way people look at him when they see the company he keeps. It’s no surprise that Natasha turns heads everywhere she goes, she’s so stunning that Steve expects it. What _is_ a surprise is that when the men look at her and then look at him, their expressions change -- and Steve can tell they’re wondering how he scored with someone so beautiful. Women tilt their heads, looking him over speculatively in a way that says _what does she see in him_ \-- and he does his best not to display any discomfort when he notices them staring. 

Natasha carries most of the conversation between them and for that Steve is grateful. He’s in uncharted territory here, unable to completely process what is happening as the evening progresses. He has no idea what to say and figures it’s better to keep quiet, rather than risk saying something completely stupid. He learns that she works in public relations, on special retainer to Tony Stark, New York’s very own famous billionaire and self-proclaimed genius, playboy, and philanthropist. She does a lot of damage control whenever Tony gets caught by the paparazzi doing something inappropriate for one thing or another. It keeps life interesting, she describes, you never know what he’s going to do next and the amount of money she makes is more than enough to compensate for the headaches he causes on a regular basis. 

They talk about a variety of topics as they move through the amusement park. For a Friday night, Coney Island wasn’t too terribly busy, but it was crowded enough that they lost Bucky and Wanda part way through the first hour. Steve’s pretty sure that their friends disappeared on purpose and his suspicions were confirmed by Natasha when she shows him the message on her phone. 

**Wanda:** _Let’s meet up later for dessert! That pastry shop in Bensonhurst around 10pm?_

“I’m 99% sure that we aren’t going to see them for the rest of the night, honestly,” Natasha rolls her eyes as she reads over Wanda’s text. She quickly types out _let’s meet up tomorrow instead xx,_ before putting her phone back into her purse. “So, I’m feeling a little hungry. Want to get some hot dogs?” 

Steve blinks. “You mean, you still want to hang out?” 

Natasha gives him an odd look before one of understanding crosses her features. There’s a small smile on her face as she nods. “Well yeah… I mean, we’re already here and I was promised a fun night. Did you want to leave?” 

“No!” Steve bursts out. “I don’t- I just-- ” He feels his face begins to heat up as he awkwardly tries to figure out how to explain that this whole evening is an anomaly for him. It isn’t the first time Bucky’s “ditched” him on a double date in the hopes that the date would lead to something more. He’s done it once before and it was such a disaster that Bucky swore he wouldn’t do it again unless he was 100% sure Steve’s date wasn’t going to ditch him as well. The fact that Bucky’s essentially left him with a stranger now spoke volumes. And once again, Steve is struck by the realization that Natasha actually wants to spend time with him. He takes a deep breath. “You said you were hungry?” 

The only place to get hot dogs, in Steve’s opinion, is at Nathan’s. Anywhere else and it’s just blasphemy. He pays for their food and drinks, despite Natasha’s protests that she could pay for herself (another first for him, he notices), and he lays out his coat on the sand for them to sit on when they decide to eat near the beach. Natasha sits close enough to him that he can feel her body heat radiating off her. She’s practically pressed up against him. “So, you’re a tattoo artist,” she says, as she takes a bite of her hot dog. “Forgive me for saying so Steve, but you definitely don’t look like a person that would be tattooing people for a living. How did you get into that as a career?” 

He laughs because it’s true, he’s not your typical tattoo artist. People often walk into his shop and do a double-take when they see him sitting behind the counter. He’s not big and burly like some tattoo artists, nor does he look intimidating either. “I kind of accidentally fell into it actually,” he shrugs. “I worked at a coffee shop throughout high school, and was always drawing something during my breaks for my portfolio… the plan was to try and save up money for art school. There was this guy, Drax, he was a regular at the coffee shop and he saw one of my drawings one day and offered me money for the design.”

“What was the original career plan?”

“There wasn’t one really…” he finishes up his hot dog and takes a sip of his lemonade. “Art was the one thing I was good at so the plan was to try and make a go of a career, wherever that took me. I’ve done some illustrations for children’s books and some graphic novels. In my spare time, I draw up some art based on popular tv characters or from movies and then make prints of the art to sell at comic cons. It does pretty well whenever I go to an event. Most of my income comes from tattooing though. It’s a pretty steady gig and it pays the bills.” 

“Wow,” Natasha grins. “So how did you go from drawing art, to tattooing people’s skin?” 

“Well, after Drax bought my first drawing, he came back two days later and asked to see more drawings and bought them all. He paid me enough money to cover my first year of college! Over time people were requesting more of my drawings to be tattooed and so he brought me on to do commission work. People would email me ideas of what they wanted for their tattoos and once they were satisfied, Drax would come in and tattoo them. He offered me an apprenticeship halfway through my college degree and I thought, why not? I’m still drawing and doing what I love, and I get to meet some interesting people too. And it turns out I have a pretty steady hand when it comes to tattooing people. The rest is kind of history.” 

“That’s quite a story, Steve,” Natasha looks thoughtful as she smiles at him. “Can’t say I’ve ever met anyone quite like you.” 

Heat rushes to his cheeks and he runs a hand through his hair. “Uh…I-” he stammers. “Me either. About you, I mean.” 

She tilts her head slightly as she looks at him through her eyelashes. “I like it. You are a surprising person, Steve Rogers.” 

Steve has no idea how to read the signals that she’s giving off. She’s looking at him expectantly, like she’s waiting for him to do something and it’s all he can do to try and keep up. She has a wonderfully expressive face, sharp lines and hollow cheeks but plump lips and beautiful green eyes framed by dark lashes -- and long red hair that looks so impossibly soft that it makes him want to run his hands through it. 

_Does she want me to kiss her?_

The thought enters his mind as Natasha lifts her chin a fraction of an inch and she shifts even closer. His heart is pounding so loudly in his chest that he’s sure she could hear it from where she is sitting. She has his complete attention now, and he’s unable to look anywhere else but her lips. He thinks she wants him to kiss her but he doesn’t want to presume. Everything about this night is already so unprecedented and he doesn’t want to fuck it up in any way. 

“Well, well,” a voice cuts in. “Doesn’t this look all cozy?” 

Steve’s pulled out from the spell he’s under and he looks up to see a man and a woman he doesn’t recognize standing a few feet away from where they're sitting. He feels Natasha sit up straighter and she pulls away slightly as she turns to face them. Within seconds, the Natasha he had been interacting with disappears and a new version of her appears. She eyes the people in front of them warily, a polite but distant smile emerges. “Elektra,” she acknowledges, her voice even and void of emotion. Her eyes flit over to the man next to Elektra and if possible, Steve thought her voice became even colder. “Matt.” 

“Hi Natasha,” Matt’s voice is low, his body language indicating exactly how awkward he is feeling. “I thought I heard your voice. It’s… uh… nice to see you.” Matt smiles wryly, as he fidgets with his cane and Steve suddenly realizes that the man is _blind_. It certainly explains why he was wearing sunglasses at night. “Pun intended, of course.” 

Natasha hums, but doesn’t say anything more. Instead, she stares up at them and even though she’s sitting, somehow the redhead is more intimidating in her stance than the two people standing. Steve has no idea what’s going on, but it definitely feels as if he’s accidentally stumbled into some kind of awkward situation that he has no privy too. Elektra is watching them with so much interest that it makes him feel more than slightly uncomfortable. “You look _so_ happy, Natasha darling,” she coos, though it’s clear that the tone of her voice is more haughty than it is sincere. “How _wonderful_.”

He has no idea what makes him do it, but he listens to his gut instinct and shifts so he slides in closer. He wraps an arm around Natasha’s shoulders and smirks, staring right at Elektra and silently challenging her to contradict him. “Thanks,” he says, confidently. His tone implies more than words ever could. “Her happiness is my top priority. If anyone can see it, it means I’m doing my job right.” 

Elektra’s eyes narrow but she doesn’t say anything more. Instead, she wraps herself around Matt’s arm, clinging to him as if she has something to prove. Natasha turns, paying them no mind, and gives Steve a warm smile. It’s a smile that tells him she’s grateful, that she’s glad he’s there. “Enjoy your evening,” Natasha dismisses them and leaves them no choice but to shuffle awkwardly away. She lets out a sigh of relief once the couple is out of earshot and slumps into him. “Thanks for doing that. You didn’t have to help me save face in front of them, but you did and I really appreciate that.” 

He really wants to know what that was all about but felt it was too rude to ask. It isn’t really his business anyway. He gives himself a few seconds to enjoy the way her body is nestled against his before pulling away. It isn’t gentlemanly, he reminds himself. It’s better to let her cuddle up when she truly wants to and not when it was a ruse to fool other people into thinking they were a couple when they actually weren’t. “Don’t mention it,” he smiles at her as he stands up, holding his hand out to her. “Want to go for a walk? Or we can go play some games, we still have some credits to use up.” 

“Sure, let’s go play whack-a-mole.” She peers at him, tilting her head as if she’s trying to figure him out. After a moment, she grasps his hand and pulls herself up, dusting off the sand that’s caught on to the hem of her jeans. She grabs his jacket and then slips her arm through his as they begin to walk away from the beach. “I have the urge to hit something.” 

True to her word, they found themselves at the brightly coloured tent minutes later and Steve’s watching as Natasha eagerly uses the toy mallet to hit the plastic moles that appear at random before disappearing back into their holes. Natasha’s efficient as she hammers away, and Steve’s coming to find that when she puts her mind to something, she succeeds. The alarm above the score panel flashes red, indicating that she’s the winner. She turns to him in triumph, a wide grin on her face and the sparkle back in her eyes. “Pick your prize.” 

He raises an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t it be me that wins you something?” 

“Don’t play into gender roles, Steve,” Natasha rolls her eyes. “Pick something!” 

He lets out a laugh as he looks up at the brightly coloured stuffed animals hanging from the tent and one immediately catches his eye. “The giraffe, please.” 

“Interesting choice,” she looks at him curiously as the attendant hands him his new stuffed toy and they begin to wander off. “Why choose the giraffe and not the lion, or the penguin?” 

“Giraffes are my spirit animal.” 

“I… had no idea what I was expecting you to say, but that was not it,” she laughs. “Are you serious?” 

“Well yeah,” he shrugs. “I mean, who doesn’t love giraffes? They’re one of the world's most majestic creatures. Most people automatically choose animals like lions, or tigers for their power. Or they go for the cute and cuddly animals, like bunnies and pot-bellied pigs. But giraffes? People tend to miss out when it comes to giraffes.” 

“But not you, huh?” 

Why in the world is he talking about giraffes? Steve has no idea how their conversation has come to this but here he is, telling her his love for giraffes. All he can do is roll with it. 

Perhaps it was the dim lighting from the street lamps all over the park, but Steve thinks that Natasha is looking at him differently from the way all women usually look at him. She looks at him like she finds him cute, like she enjoys their conversation and wants to keep it going. “Well, giraffes tend to stick their necks out and stand tall when they’re trying to reach for leaves, and have the ability to look down from above -- and I think that’s a beautiful personification for life. Like, don’t just be one with the crowd, fight for what you believe in and always try to see the bigger picture.” 

He feels her gaze, and knows that she’s listening to his every word. “Something tells me that you fight for what you believe in, don’t you?” 

“I mean… yeah? I try? If I see a situation point south, I can’t ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could.” 

“Do you ever run away?” 

“No,” he shakes his head. “You start running, they’ll never let you stop. I grew up smaller than those around me and never really fit in anywhere either. My small size made me an easy target but I always try to give as good as I get. That’s one of the reasons why I like giraffes so much… they’re such gentle creatures but they don’t confuse size with strength. Size doesn’t always guarantee might or ability. Plus, they’re loyal to those who have earned it and they’re weird looking -- like me. So, that’s why I consider them my spirit animal.”

"I don't think you're weird looking," Natasha smiles. “I think I’m going to start seeing giraffes in a whole new light now.” 

He has no idea how to react to the words she'd just said, so he keeps quiet, all the while feeling his cheeks burn red hot. They fall into comfortable silence as they walk along the path leading out of the amusement park, away from the crowds and into a quieter street. It’s getting late and the evening is almost over, he realizes regretfully. He doesn’t want it to end. It’s the best first date he’s ever been on and he’d definitely like to see her again if she allows it. 

He tries his best to gather the words in his mouth. “So…” he trails off as he slips his hands into his pockets, the giraffe tucked tight underneath his arm. He has no idea how to do this. Usually his dates would make excuses to leave as soon as possible, and the ones that did stay always indicated that they would get in touch but never did. 

Natasha waits as he pauses and heaves a sigh. He runs a hand through his hair in obvious anxiety, eyes unable to meet her gaze. He mumbles something beneath his breath, and Natasha blinks, “I’m sorry?” She asks, wanting for him to repeat the words he’d just said.

This time, Steve looks directly into her eyes, and when the words leave his mouth, Natasha’s reaction was not one he was entirely expecting. 

“ -- do you want to go out again?” was what Steve said, the second time louder and with much more clarity than before. He gnaws on his lower lip, preparing for some kind of rejection as Natasha’s eyes widen slightly, clearly a little surprised. The next few words stumble out of Steve’s mouth hurriedly before he could even stop himself. “I mean, I completely understand if you don’t want to--” 

“Steve,” Natasha interrupts him gently. She smiles softly. “Are you sure that _you_ want to go out again?” 

When she utters those words, his jaw drops and he just stops and stares at her with aghast, as though what she had just asked was unthinkable. He’s definitely confused now and he shakes his head in disbelief. “ _What?_ ” 

“All night long, I’ve been trying to figure you out, Steve.” The redhead in front of him shrugs. “You know, when Bucky first suggested this double date I was really hesitant. But your friend said some wonderful things about you and I thought, ‘ _what the hell, why not... got nothing to lose_ ’ and I found myself feeling kind of excited for the date all week.” She tilts her head slightly, meeting his gaze head on. “I even found your profile on Tinder and swiped right, hoping that we could maybe chat a little bit before the date but we never matched.” 

Steve is flummoxed and somewhat speechless as he listens to Natasha speak, baffled at her words. It takes a few seconds for her words to truly sink in and his eyes widen in pure bewilderment. Somehow he finds his voice. “Really? You swiped _right_ on my profile?” 

“I did,” she nods. “And then tonight… I mean, I asked a lot of questions and you answered them, but you never really asked any questions of your own to get to know me… and you didn’t even question it when Matt and Elektra interrupted us! So I started to think maybe you weren’t really interested in me, that maybe I was wasting your time.” 

That sentence is the _last_ thing Steve would have ever expected to hear from someone like Natasha. She thought that he _wasn’t_ interested in _her_? It takes a longer time for the entire exchange to sink in, but when it does, Steve is annoyed with himself. His mind is running through the entire evening that they’d just spent together and he comes to find that she’s right. All of the things he’s learned about her in the last few hours were all things that she volunteered herself. He hadn’t asked her anything to show that he was interested. It’s no wonder she’s questioning his interest in her. He’s flustered as he quickly shakes his head, “Natasha, I’m sorry --”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Natasha waves her hands in the air, cutting off Steve’s attempt to explain himself. “I think I kind of had some stupid expectations of Tinder… I mean, expecting us to match was probably a little presumptuous and that’s on me.” 

“I am interested,” he blurts out, holding her gaze. “I’m sorry that I gave you the impression that I wasn’t because it couldn’t be further from the truth. And as for Tinder… well, I don’t really go on the app or have my notifications on anymore.” 

She blinks. “You don’t?” 

So far his experience of the app has been shit. The only reason he downloaded it was because Bucky had made a comment on his nonexistent love life and _fuck_ , he let that get to him. But here was this beautiful woman standing in front of him and telling him that she had swiped _right_ for him. _For him._ And evidently, had been disappointed to find that they hadn’t matched. 

“Well, I never seem to get any matches, so I kinda just stopped trying. I probably should've deleted my profile altogether, but I kinda forgot about it after awhile.” There's a masochistic part of Steve that speaks up. “Do I disappoint you?” He wonders if he does. He wonders if he did before he asked. He’s disappointed plenty before without meaning to. 

There’s a bit of a cheeky twist to Natasha’s smile as she laughs slightly and shakes her head. “Well, not so far.” She takes a step closer and he feels his heart rate pick up. In the dim lighting, her eyes look impossibly large as she stares at him. He feels the warmth radiating from her as she leans up and presses a kiss to his cheek. She pulls back, smiling softly now as she takes in his expression. “I had a lot of fun today, Steve. And I’d like to go on a real date if you’re up for it.” 

“But?” he prompts, realizing that she still had a few things to say. 

“Despite what a lot of guys assume, I’m not an easy piece of ass,” Natasha shrugs, waving off his attempts to protest against what she was saying. She looks at him with a wistful expression. “I like it when people put in a little effort… and maybe my way of thinking is a little ridiculous, but _I know_ I’m worth the effort.” 

Steve is still gaping at her as she turns and hails a cab, leaving him there on the sidewalk. Just before the cab pulls away though, Natasha rolls down the window and gives him a mischievous grin. “Why don’t you think about it, Steve? Look for me on Tinder. Find my profile and swipe right, and then maybe I’ll give you my number.” Her playful grin turns into a soft and hopeful smile. “I’ll take a chance if you will.” 

Steve watches the cab drive away, still unable to believe what had just happened. Natasha actually seemed sincere. It felt like she actually wanted him to find her and even though it’s a foreign concept to him right now, he feels _encouraged_. It's been years since he’s gotten butterflies and yet that is the only way he can describe how he feels in this very moment. 

He thinks about Natasha’s words a lot as he heads home, going over every little detail of the evening in his mind. She wanted him to find her, wanted him to work for it… _I know I’m worth it,_ she’d said. Though Steve has no doubts that the redhead is worth it, there’s a part of him that can’t help the trepidation he feels anyway. Natasha is amazing and beautiful, and completely out of his league and he knows it. It was infinitely easier when he’d thought this date would be a one and done kind of deal. 

And yet. And _yet_. 

_She wants to go out again,_ he reminds himself. On a _real_ date. Just the two of them. _Alone_.

He pulls his phone towards him and unlocks it, scrolling until his eyes land on the tiny pink icon and taps on it. Dozens of profiles immediately load onto the screen, one after another, and he starts swiping left, looking for one profile in particular. When he downloaded the app in the first place, he hadn’t expected to get very far. Everyone knows that Tinder isn’t the safest way to find love, and Steve is aware of it to and wasn't too hopeful about it -- he just never expected something like this situation to happen. 

Forty-five minutes pass and he’s still swiping left, when suddenly he freezes. His thumb, that had been ready to swipe left, halts its motion, and he stares at the photo that’s on his phone. At those eyes that look familiar, green and wide-eyed. At the tilt of her mouth, that Steve is coming to recognize as the start of a warm grin. Even in her pictures, Natasha is dazzling and he can understand why she assumed people would swipe right on her profile. She probably has her pick of men. He can’t imagine anyone swiping left on her. 

His heart pounding, his thumb presses to the screen and he swipes right. There’s a moment of panic, the urge to drop his phone… to hide it. He can pretend this never happened and his life could go back to normal. He breathes out shakily, breathes in a bit more evenly. Why is he so nervous? She had said to find her, hadn’t she? It’s fine. Everything’s fine. 

And then his screen lights up. 

**Author's Note:**

> If you're gonna leave comments, please let them be nice ones!


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